


Four words

by grammartian



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, M/M, Non-Graphic Smut, Soulmate AU, implied promptio?, soulmate au - last words, spoilers for entire game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-04 06:26:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10270283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grammartian/pseuds/grammartian
Summary: In this world, the last words your soulmate utters to you are etched across your skin, so that you never know until you lose them forever. Some people obsess over it, have created entire organisations focused on analyzing those words and finding who they could possibly belong to, some even go as far as trying to work out in what circumstances they would be said so it could perhaps be avoided.Ignis has never much cared for the words written across his palm in his own handwriting. He isn't very excited to hear them one day, knowing what that would entail, and he doesn't quite like their foreboding tone, as if the one to say them knows they would never see him again.Soulmate au where the last words your soulmate says to you one day are written somewhere on your body. Starts when Noct was a teen and follows the game to the end.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SheerahChi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SheerahChi/gifts).



In this world, the last words your soulmate utters to you are etched across your skin, so that you never know until you lose them forever. Some people obsess over it, have created entire organisations focused on analyzing those words and finding who they could possibly belong to, some even go as far as trying to work out in what circumstances they would be said so it could perhaps be avoided.

Ignis has never much cared for the words written across his palm in his own handwriting. They look rather distorted, as if he weren't looking when he wrote them, and it actually took him some years to decipher them, but now he is quite confident in what they say. He isn't very excited to hear them one day, knowing what that would entail, and he doesn't quite like their foreboding tone, as if the one to say them knows they would never see him again. He puts his glove back on and doesn't think about this, instead tending to his numerous tasks as royal advisor.

\- - -

Noct is the first to breach the subject, face flushed and breath shallow.  _ I like you a lot _ , he says, and Ignis knows he doesn't mean it the way he's done before.

The confession catches him off-guard but he sees the hurt of rejection flash in Noct's eyes and he's about to shake his head,  _ Nevermind, _  but Ignis puts a hand on his shoulder and says, yes, he likes him too, more than he thought was proper for his position.

Noct almost knocks them over, throwing himself on him.

A week earlier they celebrated Ignis's eighteenth birthday, today is Valentine's, and Ignis honestly didn't start this day expecting to end it at a restaurant, Noct across him on the table, grinning as hard as he himself is.

\- - -

Their first kiss is a month later, when they have snuck out on a balcony in the Citadel, high up and hidden, to watch the sunset and the busy city below. It happens so fast, so natural - one second they are both leaning on the rails, the other their lips meet. It's clumsy, Noct hits Ignis's glasses, they laugh and giggle and pull away, then wrap arms around each other and try again, eyes closed, heads tilted slightly in opposite directions, and this time it's better, (they are still timid and shy but in less than a month they'll have perfected it) and when Noct pulls away a bit and looks up at him, eyelids still low over his blue eyes, glimmering with all kinds of colours from the almost fully set sun, Ignis finds breathing difficult.

He reaches up a hand to brush some hair away from Noct's face, eyes never leaving his, and he's suddenly reminded of the words on his palm. Could they be uttered one day by the prince...? He wishes not to dwell on that, but the thought stays in his brain, lurking in the back of his mind, ruining this perfect moment.

\- - -

Although Ignis and Noct both do their best to keep their relationship a secret, and they aren't really ones for public displays of affection, the media catches wind and soon enough a picture of them holding hands is plastered in all gossip and even some normal newspapers.

As the prince, Noct is used to being swarmed by paparazzi and ignoring them, but Ignis has mostly been safe from them and now has to deal with some rather personal questions, from how it feels to kiss a prince, to what their last sentences are, since the prince has managed to keep it a secret during all his years. That last one annoys Ignis more than any others and he nearly loses his composure at the reporter who asked him, but he knows that isn't a good idea, and he keeps his politely declining smile on.

\- - -

Noct would love nothing more than to throw his virginity out the window, especially with Ignis, and he's said that quite literally word for word, but Ignis is the responsible one and says they should wait till he's 18 and Noct sighs but doesn't press the issue. Besides, there's only a few more months left.

Before then, though, Ignis gets to see Noct only in his underwear quite a few times and wants to punch himself for never noticing Noct's sentence, written on his thigh. He asks to read it and Noct almost dismisses it as nonsense, but lets him anyway and the handwriting seems like Noct's but somehow calmer, the letters nice and tidy, definitely more fit for royalty. He can't help the frown at the contrast in their writings.

His thigh reads "Godspeed... and take care, Majesty." It is advice, just like his own, though Ignis can't help but wonder what Noct would need so much to do alone if the soulmate's tone is so calm.

Noct asks Ignis what's wrong and he doesn't answer, afraid his voice would give him away, but instead cups Noct's face and presses a gentle kiss on his lips. Noct seems to understand and relaxes, wraps his arms around Ignis, pulls him closer, and they sit like that for a while.

\- - -

Ignis finally defenestrates Noct's virginity one Sunday when it's rainy and they have nothing to do but stay at Noct's apartment and it isn't quite planned but goes better than the first kiss they shared. They leave bed only to shower, but then can't seem to keep their hands off each other and soon the first time becomes the second and the whole day passes.

Ignis can't remember a day in his life when he didn't  _ have _  to do anything, and he did want to do some things today, but Noct convinced him not to and somehow, he doesn't mind at all. He can't think of it as a wasted day, after all, he spent it with the one he loves, and later when they're back in bed and Noct is resting on his chest, listening to the rain, he doesn't have that ominous sentence at the back of his mind to ruin the moment.

\- - -

All good things come to an end, Ignis finds, when Noct is twenty and he is twenty-two, and they have to set off for Altissia so that Noctis can get wed to Lady Lunafreya.

The media had been absolutely unbearable since the announcement that this marriage was part of the treaty, and Ignis had to be appointed one of the Kingsglaive's as a guard against the swarming reporters who wanted nothing more than to hear how heartbroken Ignis was over this. Noct had Gladio, although even he broke a sweat defending him from them.

Thankfully Nyx Ulric is capable enough (he guesses there's a reason everyone calls him  _ Hero _ ) and Ignis survives the week, which, he realises with a knot in his stomach, is the last one he'll get to spend with Noct before this... pointless marriage. He knew he had no right, as advisor, to even want this scandalous relationship, and yet he is in it and he can't help feeling angry at the unfairness that is royal destiny.

Noct touches his face, runs his fingers over his cheek and cups his face, promises they'll figure something out, he knows Luna, she isn't unreasonable, and Ignis tells him to stop, and not make a promise he can't keep.

\- - -

He hates how much relief the boats being gone brings him, even if the man who informs them of that leaves an uneasy feeling in all of them. Still, he gets to spend one more night with arms wrapped around Noct, listening to his heartbeat and his light breathing, uncaring that they aren't alone.

Prompto helps them all not sink into despair as they figure their way through this mess, Gladio does his best to keep them on track. Ignis continues being by Noctis's side, and Noct "simply" has to follow the path chosen for him by the gods. None of them feed false hopes that it will be an easy task, and yet, Ignis knows they'll see it to its end.

He can't help but wonder, if the words on their skin are from each other, when it would happen. Would it be when they finally arrive in Altissia and Noct meets Lunafreya...?

He reassures him it won't, but there is no way for them to know.

\- - -

The weeks leading up to their final departure for Altissia are strangely nice, and though Ignis still is the most responsible one, he doesn't oppose opportunities for them to rest or explore the world. 

He does his best to not give into the feeling of impending tragedy but it doesn't leave and one night by the campfire, while Prompto and Gladio are having an argument which turns into some strange type of wrestling that Ignis pointedly ignores, Noct asks him what's wrong.

Ignis sighs and takes off his glove to show Noct the writing. He's seen it many times, but never asked to know what it says, or said anything about it, really. This time he walks over to Ignis and takes his hand. He silently asks him permission before bringing it to his eyes and squinting at it in the faint light from the fire.

He gets the last word almost right and Ignis tells him the correct sentence with a sigh. He wonders if, in the event that Noct is the one uttering these words in the future, this would affect it, if showing him this isn't a foregone conclusion and what would happen if Noct isn't actually his soulmate but utters the words anyway. He doesn't quite care about that.

Noct tilts his head and says it looks like it was written in pure darkness, and in distress. Ignis remarks that if they both know this is the last time they see each other, of course they'd be distressed. That doesn't explain the calmness of Noct's sentence. Or perhaps it's resignation.

\- - - 

Everything that could go wrong during the forging of the covenant in Altissia, goes wrong. Ignis can't see Noct, but he can see the gigantic figure of Leviathan, and those long plumes of raging water and debris are the last thing he sees before something hot and painful hits him the face and things go black.

Next he wakes up in a bed and he can't see anything.  _ Pure darkness, _  echo Noct's words from a few nights ago. He takes a deep breath and does his best not to panic.

There's a stirring next to him, and Prompto exclaims his name with relief. His face hurts, especially the left eye and he brings up a hand to touch it, noticing it's bare and wincing at the fact his sentence is out in the open. On his face are bandages. He questions this and on his other side Gladio informs him that he looked pretty bad when they found him and the doctors said he was just lucky to be alive.

He asks where Noct is, expecting him to say something as well, but all he's told is that Noct is still asleep and  _ no, Iggy, stay in bed, you need to rest, too. _

He begrudgingly lies back down.

_ Pure darkness, huh. _

\- - -

After his injury, things get rather... uncomfortable. It reminds them all they aren't invincible, and if it weren't for the high tension, Ignis would express his irritation at being treated so carefully by Prompto and Gladio. He can walk on his own, thank you, but he also realises that they are all so struck by grief, perhaps this is a way for them to deal, so he lets them.

Noctis mercifully treats him like always despite Gladio's anger for what he perceives as selfishness. They've all lost so much, but they can't afford to stop, so they have to cope however they can.

The only time Noct breaks down over this is late one night, when he can't seem to keep it in anymore, and Ignis holds him as he spills his guilt and grief and pain, and Ignis reassures him this isn't his fault, Ignis doesn't blame him, he never could, when he lo... a lump in his throat interrupts him and Noct buries further into his neck, folds smaller into his arms, as if he could become as tiny as when they were children and things were much better.

He holds him till the sobbing stops and then he holds him more, wetting his hair with tears from unseeing eyes.

What wouldn't he give for the days when his biggest problem were the hordes of yellow-page reporters.

\- - -

Things get from bad to worse, which shouldn't surprise Ignis, but did  _ Ardyn  _ have to take  _ Prompto? _  He partially wishes it were him. Not that he wants to suffer through whatever that man would put his friend though, but at least he's undergone preparation to survive torture. And he wouldn't be sitting helplessly in the train waiting for it to arrive. Of course, best case scenario would have been none of this happening, but that just was never meant to be.

Over the course of the trainride, Gladio informs him that the night outside is permanent, and he finds it quite fitting with what he himself sees and feels. Noct is focused on only two things: find Prompto, and give Ardyn what's coming to him. For the first time in weeks Gladio agrees with him.

Finally they reach the lair of the monster, and of course it is teeming with daemons, and for the first time Ignis is kind of glad he cannot see them because he can only imagine how horrible they all are. He's gotten better at combat and is rather proud of it, no longer needing to rely on his teammates so much.

Then Noct is separated from him and Gladio and Ignis still isn't entirely sure, but the fact it was too abrupt for any parting words is oddly comforting to him.

Ignis and Gladio make their way through the ruins, occasionally hearing Ardyn's voice booming through the speakers, taunting Noctis, but at least it means he's still alive and fighting. They can't concentrate on that much either, having to fight for their own lives.

-

The reunion is short, far too short, then they find Prompto, who is bruised up and shaken but still he is  _ alive, _  and things look up a bit, now all they have to do is find and kill Ardyn, right?

Wrong.

Noct is once again taken from them, they only get there in time to see him be absorbed by the Crystal, or at least that's what Ignis gets from the situation. Ardyn gloats of his victory, Gladio strikes and Prompto shoots him and he drops on the floor.

Of course, it can't be that easy, Ignis hears him stand up and as he walks past him the air just resonates with a feeling of  _ wrong _ . He knows attacking him is futile and doesn't bother.

\- - -

Now that Noct is gone, Ignis finds himself clinging to the four words written on his own palm, and repeats them to himself for ten long, dark years till he... well, he cannot see Noct, but he hopes to meet him once more. The words are short, concise, and yet strangely motivating despite the sad promise that they hide.

He pushes himself to keep his form, to get better at the things he does till he reaches the same level he had before his injury. Prompto or Gladio, when they cross paths, even say his cooking is somehow better. Meeting them is painful, they remind him of the big empty hole left by Noctis that no hunt nor recipe can fill in.

\- - -

He marches on, and finally Noct appears again, having grown into his role and accepted his destiny and place in this divine game of chess.

When they gather again, when they're sitting around a campfire he can't quite see, Ignis feels a wholeness that he hasn't in a decade. Even if he knows this might be his last night on Eos, he feels more alive than he has in years, finally back together with Noct. The sentence on his palm creeps into his mind and he wonders if Noct remembers it. He himself doesn't quite remember what is written on Noct's flesh, and speculates if this is from the passage of time, or some kind of sign.

After dinner he asks permission and Noct allows him to touch his face so he can update the map in his mind. His features are sharper, more pronounced, mature; he has the beginning of what could be a majestic beard but is still too stubbly. His hair isn't so soft, falls lower on his face and Ignis removes some strands from his eyes.

Finally, he leans down to kiss him, and it doesn't feel like it's been a decade, it feels like he last kissed him yesterday and they are young again. He vaguely hears an  _ ahem _  and something about checking if the tent is fine and they are alone. If this is going to be his last night alive, he is making the most of it, Ignis decides as he drops on his knees between Noct's legs, who runs his hand through Ignis's hair as he moves closer to the edge of the chair. He doesn't care if Ardyn himself is watching them, he is going to do his best to make Noct feel good, even if he's a bit rusty.

Of course, Noct returns him the favor and Ignis has seen him between his legs many times and now he can only feel and imagine, and somehow having the King of light's mouth around him feels lewd but oh so right at the same time.

\- - -

When Ignis wakes up in the throne room, it's only him, Prompto and Gladio.

They leave it just in time to meet Noctis again. He sounds exhausted, but that means he has been victorious... and that the end is here.

'Walk tall, my friends,' Noct says and Ignis chokes up a little.

The words bubble up into his throat on their own, he doesn't even think as he says in reply, 'Godspeed... and take care, Majesty.'

He can almost see Noct nod slightly as they all bow, and then he hears his footsteps up the stairs as a bunch of giant daemons emerge from the ground behind them and they call their weapons for one last stand.

**Author's Note:**

> By the way, I know Noct says something else after that but I wanted the line to be "Walk tall, my friends", so I tweaked it a bit.


End file.
